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Muskingum (Ashen Man)
Muskingum is a survivor state located in southern Ohio. It is currently under the control of a benevolent dictator named Thompson Thunder. History Following the Great Burn, Washington County, Ohio was thrown into chaos. Looting and rioting occurred all throughout the state, and Marietta was no exception. In order to combat the lawlessness in their city, and in Belpre, the Emergency Council was formed. They enforced strict rationing, martial law, and other safety measures. Local townspeople, sheriff, and police officers were conscripted into a militia. For a while, the county was safe. Crime went down as people attempted to find ways to survive the coming winter. Radio contact with Columbus was attempted, though only scattered intermissions came, none what the Council wanted to hear. Summer of ‘63 Following the harsh winter brought by the atomic weapons used in the Burn, many people had died of starvation and hypothermia, approximately 15% of the population. Post-Burn and post winter, 43,936 natives remained in Washington, with some townships and villages being nearly depopulated. Soon refugees from the surrounding counties flooded in, numbering approximately 6,000, though beyond this, contact had yet to be made with the state government. Soon the Emergency Council decided it was time to send scouts north, and along the rivers. Scouts/ The Four Horsemen Four patrols were sent, one to each of the cardinal directions. People took to calling them “The Four Horsemen,”, and each was sent with the meager supplies Marietta could manage. Before the Northern Patrol could be launched, a messenger on horseback rode into Marietta. He wore a national guard uniform, claiming to be Private John Moore of 1092nd Engineer Battalion. The Emergency Council convened momentarily. The Messenger said that Lt. Colonel Jay Thompson sought to claim a more permanent home for the people of his country, and sought to parley with The Mariettans. He further revealed that a large portion of the population had succumbed to the winter, and the southern cities of Newark and Rockport were under attack by raiders. The Issue was debated for several days, with the majority of people unsure of Thompson’s Motives. The conclusion was reached, that three companies would move to Marietta, and one would move to Mcconnelsville. The Council voted on declaring independence from the United States, and to write into law a constitution. The verdict was a landslide for independence, and on August 15th, 1963, the new nation was named Muskingum, after the river which flowed through both Morgan and Washington County. Upon Thompson’s insistence, the Emergency Council convened and motioned for the people of Wood County to move across the river into. The 62,664 refugees would prove difficult for the Muskees to handle, most of them moving into Belpre, Mcconnelsville, and the larger villages. The Wood County diaspora would remain unincorporated for another 15 years. The Hellion War The 1092nd immediately got to work whipping the militia into shape. Whilst they remained a separate unit, the Militia was split into three “Warbands”, and training each to some degree of effectiveness. In order to be better combatants and make up for the lack of vehicles, the first Warband began training for effective Cavalry Combat, and was christened “The Muskingum Dragoons”. It was not long before the Dragoons and 1092nd would be put to the test, when the Hellion Raiders would push north over the river. Taken by surprise, the Fourth and Fifth warbands barely managed to hold the city of Belpre. Meanwhile, the whole of Eastern Muskers fell to the Hellions. For a month, the Hellion’s elite units (Known as Demon Dogs) sieged the city of Marietta. Several thousand civilians died, and the area was thrown into chaos. The Muskingum Dragoons, meanwhile, where holding the bulk of the Hellion forces off of Belpre and the western reaches of Muskers. It was not until the Winter of 1966 that the Dragoons were able to retreat north and launch a joint offensive with the 1092nd. The Siege Break lasted three months into the winter, when the Demon Dogs finally retreated south of the river on January 5th, 1967. Military Muskingum has a small military for defense and internal security. The Army has 6000 soldiers. They are divided up into War Bands of 500. Most of the War Bands are Dragoon units. A majority of the arms used have been converted from civilian arms, or leftover from Thompson's old battalion. They operate no armored forces due to the cost, though horses have taken the place of vehicles for the most part. Indeed, one could mistake a Muskee Dragoon for an 1800s era cowboy, except for the modern weapons that the soldier carries. Naval operations on one of the nation's various rivers are handled by the Army, which operates ten patrol boats. These boats are mainly to monitor Montemian activity across the river. Serving two years in the Army gives you the right to vote on social issues. Women are excluded from open combat duty, but are allowed to enlist in the Military Police and non-combatant roles. 1092nd Engineer Battalion In the late summer of 1963, Lt. Colonel Jay Thompson sent a messenger north to the rumored survivors across the Ohio River, in hopes that he could relocate his dying peoples there. The verdict was eventually reached to allow the Battalion and Civilians across the river. Ever since, they have been an elite unit in the Muskee Army, and often are charged with protection of Muskee cities, and the repair of damaged war zones. Gallery Category:Ashen Man Category:Pages undergoing construction